The NBA is never afraid of making rule changes that will improve the league’s integrity and keep a focus on the game and only the game.
To that end, they are enacting a revised policy about cell phones and social media use.
According to Ian Begley, the league is implementing a new rule that prohibits players and coaches from using their phones “from tipoff to end of game.”
The rules say players and coaches cannot use their phones for sharing “video footage with a game official, basketball ops personnel seated courtside or media from 45 minutes before tipoff to after the game until after media obligations.”
The purpose of this rule is to keep players and coaches focused on their team and game but it’s also a way to protect “the integrity of the game as it pertains to gambling.”
SNY sources: NBA is expected to communicate to teams a revised policy on cell phone use/social media use that prohibits players/coaches from using their phone from tipoff to end of game. In the communication, NBA will re-state previous rule that prohibit players/coaches from…
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) October 14, 2024
In short, the league doesn’t want anyone to be using their phones when they should be paying attention to the game.
More importantly, the NBA really doesn’t want any chance of someone gambling in the middle of a match.
It’s not surprising to see the league create this rule because Commissioner Adam Silver and his staff have become more and more invested in figuring out the world of sports betting and how it pertains to the NBA.
There were some ugly headlines last year when Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors was banned for life due to betting on his own games and the league will do whatever it takes to never experience a repeat of that.
Players and coaches are being paid very good money to perform and they should keep their minds set solely on games.
This new rule will ensure their focus doesn’t waver.
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